


The Beast You've Made of Me

by Kita_the_Spaz



Category: Naruto
Genre: Community: kakairu_fest, Inspired by Music, KakaIru Month 2015, M/M, werewolfish-I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 15:04:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4226394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kita_the_Spaz/pseuds/Kita_the_Spaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the June 25th prompt <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucFHDxhCVwE"> Howl by Florence and the Machine</a></p><p>Kakashi knew something was wrong the very moment he passed through the village gates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beast You've Made of Me

The need to run was overwhelming, subsuming the agony of a hundred wounds, of feet that left bloody prints on the earth; drowning even the fear that had driven him into flight. He had to run, somewhere. Somewhere in his muddled brain, he knew there was someplace he had to be, something that he had to remember. So he ran on beneath the waxing moon, letting instinct guide him to something he could not remember, but needed with every fiber of his battered and delusional being. Oblivious of the painted trail of scarlet he left behind in the pale moonlight, slowly soaking into the dark ground, he could only run.

*****

Kakashi knew something was wrong the very moment he passed through the village gates, moving at a tireless lope beside the caravan he’d been escorting all the way from the Land of Snow. There was a heavy, musky scent in the crisp autumn air that was both naggingly familiar and unsettlingly wild, speaking to something in him on a primal level. Ranged out around the caravan, his entire pack echoed his feeling of unease with growls and raised hackles, Bisuke even breaking out in a wild volley of barks at nothing.

Pakkun crouched on his shoulder, his deep-throated growl rumbling through Kakashi’s frame. 

Kakashi glanced at the pug, noting that his eyes were white-rimmed and his fangs bared in a snarl that mixed fear with aggression. “Pakkun?” He questioned quietly, tugging his mask down just beneath his nose to get a deeper whiff of the scent that permeated the air.

Pakkun rumbled again, claws digging into the shoulder of Kakashi’s vest. “Wolf!” he snarled succinctly, leaping down to prowl around Kakashi’s feet, nose to the road.

The rest of the pack, freed from their duties now that the last wagon in the caravan was safely within the walls, came crowding around his feet, hackles up and showing various levels of ingrained fear. Guruko, tail tucked tight against his belly, tried to huddle against Kakashi’s legs. Buru, pacing back and forth between him and the center of the village, paused on each turn to utter a thunderous bark. Bisuke crouched at Kakashi’s ankles, alternating barks with yips and whimpers. Shiba’s eyes darted around wildly and he uttered a low, constant growl. Urushi punctuated his pack-mate’s growl with low, half-voiced _‘woofs.’_ Uuhei and Akino were only slightly calmer, each pressing bodily against his thighs on either side, with flattened ears and wary eyes.

Kakashi drew in another breath, sampling the odors carried on the wind. Now that Pakkun had identified what the scent was, he could filter out his automatic, atavistic reaction to it. He’d never scented wolves this strongly, usually only spotting them from a distance, and catching a faint trace of their smell in the air. But never this thick, this overwhelming.

Glancing back at the caravan, and seeing they were being tended to by the startled gate guards, Kakashi started for the tower, his pack milling around his legs and pressing close. He thought about dismissing them, but Pakkun seemed to sense the idea, because he looked up with a growl. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned. “We won’t leave, not until we know that there is no danger here.”

A wave of quick nods went through the pack.

Uuhei pressed her head into his hand. “There is a powerful wolf in your territory, boss. As a part of your pack, we _can’t_ leave you until we’re sure that you and the rest of the pack is safe.”

Kakashi started. “The rest of the pack?”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Pakkun grumbled. “The village is your territory, but there are people in it you consider a part of your pack. The brats, the stupid tree, the alpha bitch, your mate; hell, even that green abomination are part of your pack.”

“Didn’t you realize?” Bisuke piped up helpfully, his head cocked to one side. “That’s why you always check on them first, whenever you come home.”

“Even when they have to drag you to the hospital,” Urushi groused sourly.

Kakashi considered the thought with a raised eyebrow. He’d slowly started to let others back in, but until Iruka had stormed his way into his life, he’d never realized how close they had gotten.

Closing his eye, he took a deep breath. “The tower first,” he sighed. “At least two of them should be there at this hour.”

Tsunade was indeed in, presiding over the Mission room with what seemed like amused tolerance. However, in the seat to her right, usually reserved for Iruka, Mitarashi Anko sat sullenly, scowling as if she’d sooner stab the next person to get in her line than look at them.

Of course, Kakashi had to turn in his mission report to her. She bared her teeth in what was probably the furthest thing from an actual smile. “Thank you for your hard work,” she muttered sourly, looking like she might bite the next person to annoy her.

Which Kakashi promptly did. “Oi, Mitarashi-san, where’s Iruka?”

“He’s on medical leave,” she snarled at him, eyelid twitching. “Came back from a mission some battered up, and asshole pegged me to fill his shifts while he was away, so here I sit. Anymore questions or do I get to fillet you now?”

Tsunade snorted laughter beside her, taking Kakashi’s mission scroll from Anko with slender fingers and leaning forward in her seat to reach for her chop stamp. “No maiming people in the mission room, Mitarashi-san,” She chuckled, scanning the document and stamping it. “Iruka-sensei only flays them verbally. Says it’s easier than cleaning up the blood after shift.” She filed the scroll neatly into a drawer and glanced up at Kakashi with a half-smile. “Thank you for your hard work. And stop worrying, brat, Iruka-sensei will be just fine. He just needs a few days rest to recover from his wounds. I already sent him home to recuperate.”

Kakashi sighed with relief and offered her a politely thankful nod. If Iruka was safely resting at home, that was one less person he had to worry about.

He left the mission room, the pack trailing at his heels. As luck would have it, he ran into Tenzou and his team, coming in to report. Sai had apparently said something to set Sakura off, for she was loudly berating him and Naruto for something. Kakashi didn’t care to find out what, because it would only wind up with him being dragged into the argument, sometimes bodily.

With a jaunty wave for an exasperated Tenzou, he made a quick escape, loping toward the eastern edge of the village and the training grounds there. If he knew Gai, that was where he’d be, training with his loyal miniature and teammates. 

The pack ranged freely around him, more relaxed now that they had some assurances of the safety of the rest of the pack. Their ears were still pinned back and they uttered the occasional growl, especially when the wind brought a stronger whiff of the wolf-scent, but they had settled considerably. After he’d checked on Gai, he’d dismiss them and head home to a probably sore and cranky at being kept away from work Iruka. Thankfully Kakashi knew ways to distract him from useless fretting.

It took checking three training grounds, but he finally found his _eternal rival_ beating the crap out of several training posts while his team watched.

Reassured, Kakashi lowered his mask for another sniff, finding the scent was fainter here. That was surprising, a wolf would be more apt to linger far away from the center of the village, but that was where the traces were strongest. He shrugged the thought off and glanced down at the milling dogs, noting their calming demeanors. “You can go now,” he chided them softly. “You’ve seen that the rest of the pack is safe.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come home with you and check on Iruka-sensei?” Bisuke asked with a soft whine.

Kakashi shook his head. “He’s liable to be grouchy,” he reminded the youngest of his pack. “And you know how upset he’ll be if he snaps at you all, just because he’s in pain and grumpy.” 

Pakkun shook his head, jowls flapping. “I’d rather not go through that again.”

Urushi and Shiba lapped at Kakashi’s fingers before vanishing into puffs of smoke. Akino whined and head-butted his leg before following his vanished pack-mates. Buru offered no farewell, just a nod. Uuhei stretched up to rest her forepaws on Kakashi’s shoulders. “Call us back if you need us, please.”

Kakashi scratched behind her ears. “I will. Now, go on.”

She sighed and vanished with the rest, leaving him alone.

Kakashi headed for home at an easy pace, thinking if Iruka were that battered he’d either be sleeping or prowling around the apartment,desperate for something to do and getting crankier by the moment. Likely the latter, if he knew his lover at all.

Kakashi detoured through the market, stopping at a fruit-seller that Iruka favored but seldom let himself buy from. The owner imported rare fruits from surrounding countries and even farther away, so some of his wares were ruinously expensive to cover the costs of shipping such fragile produce to Konoha. But he carried things that simply couldn’t be procured elsewhere. Kakashi plunked down a fair bit of money for several ripe pomegranates, knowing how much Iruka loved the tart, juicy seeds. Iruka’s favorite melon wasn’t in season yet, but Kakashi found another he knew Iruka would enjoy. Tucking his purchases into a string bag, Kakashi headed for home.

Closer to his shared apartment, he found the wolf-scent stronger. Pausing, he sniffed the air carefully. It was fresher here, only hours old. The wild scent sent a tingle down his spine. Shaking his head to clear it, he headed home.

He’d barely closed the door behind him when he was attacked. Hands caught his wrists before he could reach for a weapon and a warm weight against his chest slammed his shoulders against the door. A greedy mouth attacked his throat, teeth nipping and lips hot and needy, even through the fabric of his mask.

“ _Urgh_ , Iruka—” Kakashi managed before his mask was hauled down and that demanding mouth dominated his. Iruka filled his senses, the taste and touch of him.

Iruka pulled back just enough to pant into his mouth. “Missed you. Should have been here when I got back; needed you.” His hands had released Kakashi’s wrists and were dragging his vest open.

Kakashi hurried to help him, fumbling off vest and shirt in one motion. Iruka wasn’t usually this sexually aggressive, but Kakashi wasn’t going to complain.

Iruka pinned him to the door and dragged his teeth down Kakashi’s chest, nipping and licking.

Kakashi wasn’t sure how much longer his legs would hold him up if Iruka kept this up.

Iruka worked his way back up and fastened his teeth hard into the juncture between Kakashi’s shoulder and neck. The jolt of combined pain and pleasure sent a shock spearing through Kakashi’s entire body and he stiffened, gasping.

His shocked inhale flooded his nose with wolf-scent, melded seamlessly with Iruka’s natural aroma of sunlight and chalkdust. It electrified Kakashi’s senses, tingling along his nerves like lightning. Shocked and gasping, he pulled back, staring down into Iruka’s eyes; eyes that were now some shade between his normal rich brown and amber.

Growling, Iruka lunged up and captured Kakashi’s lips in a hard, needy kiss. Iruka’s taste flooded his mouth, drowning out the confusing thoughts.

Iruka’s nails dug into his skin, bright sparks of pain, and just enough to shock him back to his senses.

Shoving back on Iruka’s shoulders, Kakashi managed to put space between them. Panting, he stared into his lover’s eyes.

It was the wolf who gazed back, dark amber eyes holding his gaze.

Iruka tilted his head, a gesture so very familiar and canine that Kakashi’s heart lodged somewhere in his throat. “Who are you?” he whispered, shaken.

Something stirred in those familiar/unfamiliar eyes and Iruka blinked at him. “Kakashi?”

Kakashi shoved harder, knocking Iruka on his ass. Stumbling away from him, Kakashi reached for a kunai and pointed the razor tip at Iruka. “You’re not Iruka. I don’t know who you are, but I’ll kill you if you’ve hurt him!”

Iruka rose lithely to his feet, rolling his head until his neck cracked. Half-lidded, dark-amber eyes glittered with smug amusement. “Why would you kill me, Kakashi?” he rumbled. “Are you so callous that you would slay your mate?”

Kakashi growled under his breath, teeth bared in a snarl. If he needed more proof that this was not Iruka, he had it. Iruka would never have called himself Kakashi’s _mate_. That was a purely canine expression and not a term Iruka would ever use. “Who are you?” he demanded again.

Iruka’s head tilted again, accompanied by a slow smile and a lazy blink. “Umino Iruka,” he answered.

Cold rage built in Kakashi’s chest. He lashed out with the blade.

Iruka dodged adroitly, springing away and landing in an easy crouch. Those wolfish eyes were wary now. He bared his teeth at Kakashi in something that was definitely not a smile. His canines were longer than they had been and sharply pointed.

Kakashi snarled and tossed the kunai, anticipating Iruka’s dodge and moving to counter it.

Iruka ducked under his first strike, moving fluidly into a counter-strike combo Kakashi had taught him. It was both frightening and enraging to see, because who-or-whatever this was, it was becoming more and more clear that Iruka was also in there.

Kakashi deliberately faltered a step, leaving an opening. Iruka would know the feint for what it was, but the wolf might not.

Taking the bait, the wolf-in-Iruka leapt.

Kakashi spun out of the way and slammed Iruka into the wall. Pinning him with an arm wrenched up between his shoulders, Kakashi gripped the back of Iruka’s neck tightly with his other hand, blunt nails biting into the flesh.

Wolf-like, Iruka immediately went lax, submissively tilting his head to bare his throat. “Now, who are you?” Kakashi snarled, rage bubbling in his chest.

“I am Iruka,” Iruka answered, one eye focusing on Kakashi. “I am also the _Makami_ who offered a dying shinobi a chance to return home.”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, his heart squeezing into a small knot of pain. “Dying?”

The _spirit wolf_ sighed. “He stumbled into my territory, horribly injured, his blood poisoned. His scent interested me, and I came to see who held so stubbornly to life.” Iruka’s lips quirked up in a wry smile. “Stubborn bastard. If I had flesh, he would have gutted me, given the chance. But he finally listened to me.”

Kakashi felt a little numb. To know Iruka had been out there dying, far from home... And now this stranger in Iruka’s skin. “You—”

The _Makami_ sighed and huffed air through his nose, a gesture that was so Iruka it hurt. “Right now, I’m the one in control, because he is still healing. He’s weak, but he was determined to make it home, _so_ determined that I don’t think death itself would have stopped him. Eventually, there will just be one of us, Iruka. He might retain some of my characteristics, but I’ll be integrated into his psyche.” He smiled, a quick flash of teeth. “He was the one in control when you came in, just in a more feral state of mind, if you will. He was claiming you as his mate. Something of me he absorbed a bit quicker than anything else.”

Kakashi released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and took a step back, freeing Iruka. “He’ll be himself?” he asked warily.

Shaking feeling back into the arm that had been pinned, the _Makami_ chuckled. “Is any shinobi ever truly himself? But, yes. My personality will be subsumed in his, as his is the stronger will. He might retain some of my—” Those dark-amber eyes skated over the darkening bite mark on Kakashi’s throat and he smiled ferally. “—More wolfish traits, but he’ll still be your mate. As he always was.”

He took a step back, laughing. “And if you need proof...?”

Amber eyes darkened back to a familiar warm brown and Iruka reached toward Kakashi, hesitance in his face. “Kakashi?”

Kakashi could smell Iruka’s fear, overwhelming the wolfish taint of his scent. Iruka was afraid that what he’d done; what he’d become, would cause Kakashi to reject him. He could see the fearful thoughts flickering in Iruka’s gaze.

Kakashi stepped forward until he was crowding into Iruka’s personal space. Smiling faintly, he lifted his chin and tipped his head to bare the bitten side of his throat to Iruka.

Iruka took the final step, pressing his lips against the purpling mark and sighing faintly, warm breath shivering over Kakashi’s sensitized skin. “Love you,” he breathed against Kakashi’s neck. 

Kakashi lowered his head until he could bury his nose in brown hair and closed his arms tight around Iruka. “Love you too,” he assured.

**Author's Note:**

> Weird, I know. Dunno what I was thinking.


End file.
